CHANCE NEGLECTED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 110, 12 May 1930, Page 11

CHANCE NEGLECTED

YOUTH SENT TO BORSTAL

CLEARING OUT A TAINT

When Patrick James Michael Heffron was found guilty last week of breaking and entering and theft at Newtown, coun; sel (Mr. J. Meltzer) '.applied to reserve the question whether his Honour Mr. Justice Blair was correct in directing tho jury that it' tho prisoner assisted at -any stage of a burglary ho wus guilty of tho whole offence. Heil'rou admitted having held a torch while entrance to the shop was effected.

Heuron appeared for sentence to-day. His Honour said that he had looked carefully into the point raised by counsel, and had also considered the verbatim report of the summing-up. "I can't see anything to justify'• me in reserving the question for the Court of Appeal," he told Mr. Meltzer. However, he did not wish in any way to prevent counsel going ahead with the matter, and if he so decided, he would give him every assistance. "So far as I am concerned,.! will take the responsibility of saying, that I have no doubt about the matter," added his Honour. "I don't want to state a case for the Court of Appeal under such circumstances."

Mr. Meltzer said that he had had an opportunity of perusing his Honrou's remarks, and he had decided to leave the matter entirely to the Court.. Heffrori, counsel went on, was only eighteen years of- age, and it seemed there ,were qualities in him which, if developed along the right,lines, would make him a decent citizen. It was a fair inference1 that he had been to some extent under compulsion' when the offence was Committed, not such compulsion perhaps as to entitle him to an acquittal, but sufficient to entitle him to greater consideration than had been given to thei other offenders. His Honour said that but for the fact that tho prisoner had already; had the benefit of one chance, he would have- considered lenient treatment. However, chances could not be given indefinitely, and no doubt the prisoner had been told on the previous occasion what would happen if. he offended again. Apparently he did not- appreciate chances when he got them. Borstal training was the only way to get the taint out of his system. Heffron was sentenced to a term ot detention in a Borstal institution not exceeding two years.